Job Search Morning Rituals

February 8, 2013

3 min read

Many successful business men and women say that the first few hours of their day can be the most important and productive. The morning sets the tone for the rest of your day; whether you’re hurried and unprepared, or well-rested and confident. In particular, while you’re job searching, what activities can you add to your morning routine in order to make you more confident and productive as you job search? While a morning routine will look different for everyone, here are a few ideas for establishing an effective one.

Wake up in time to enjoy the morning.
Are you the type of person who gets up just in time to grab a shower, brush your teeth and run out the door with a pop-tart in your mouth? Do you savor every last minute of sleep? Do you hit snooze more than once? Consider making a few minor adjustments that can lead to more productive mornings. Set your alarm clock for fifteen minutes earlier and commit to only hitting snooze once before popping out of bed. With the extra time you gain, you won’t feel rushed toward the next activity. Instead, you can have time to yourself to plan your day.

Eat breakfast.
I’m sure you’ve heard this since you were a kid, but it’s absolutely true. Breakfast will wake up your metabolism, give you more energy, and help you take a little more time in the morning for yourself. Foods rich in Vitamin B such as oatmeal and bananas will help you think clearly and improve your concentration throughout the day so that you’re less likely to hit that 3:00 p.m. slump. As a job seeker, this is helpful because you always need to be at the top of your game in case an opportunity arises for networking or you’re suddenly called in for a job interview.

Create a morning browse.
Make it a routine to check a few job outlets every morning. If you still get a morning paper, check the classified section; log-on to Spark Hire to see what new jobs have been posted; browse LinkedIn for job-related news and new professional connections you could make. In addition, find a few news outlets you enjoy that report on the state of the job market.

Read news relevant to your industry.
You can also plan a few minutes in the morning to read up on news that is specific to the industry in which you’re looking to land a job. Search local and national news outlets, blogs and other social media. This will ensure that you can have informed conversations on industry trends in a job interview or with networking contacts. If you’re stuck in the job search within your area of expertise, maybe take this time in the morning to explore something completely new!

Boost your confidence.
Take a few minutes to do something that inspires you and makes you feel confident about yourself. This could be reading an inspiring blog, a religious text, spending time in prayer or meditation, doing yoga, writing in a journal or listening to a motivational podcast.

Make a list.
Finally, the morning is a splendid time to plan the rest of your day. Create a list of the things you’d like to accomplish by the time you hit the hay again. This way, if you get lost in the mire of job boards and applications during the day, you have something to put you back on track towards productivity.

Do you have a job search morning or day ritual? Share it with us in the comments section below!

Kailyn Baum

Kailyn is a recent college graduate with degrees in English and Political Science. She is currently working in the publishing industry, where she loves the fact that she is paid to immerse herself in talking and thinking about books all day long. When she isn’t working, she enjoys reading, cooking, line-dancing, and writing short stories and poetry. Her sincerest hope for contributing to Spark Hire’s job seeker blog is to provide job seekers of all ages with the tools and sense of humor necessary to stay calm and carry on.

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